Circular-knitting machine



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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 21, 1929. P, A, BENTLE 1,713,736

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. '7, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 PERCIVAL ARTHUR BENTLEY, F LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed November 7, 1924, Serial No. 748,495, and in Great Britain December 7, 1923.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and particularly to that type of machine which is characterised by having coaxial end to end needle cylinders and employing double-ended needles the movement of rotation at one time and reciprocation at another necessary to effect the knitting being given either to the needle cylinders or the cam boxes. I

The invention is particularly concerned with the provision of improvements in such a machine where it is the needle cylinders that move and the cam boxes that are stationary as for example in the machine described in the specification of British Patent No. 171483.

The various features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one illustrative machine embodying in convenient forms the said features and these latter will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The illustrative machine which is shown in the drawings is except, so far as hereinafter described and except that it employs double stitch cams instead of a single central stitch cam substantially identical with that described in said specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the principal portions of the machine so far as they concern the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan partly in section of the same portions of the machine;

Figure 3 is a plan partly in section of a bolt-cam actuating lever of the machine and certain parts carried thereby;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a part sectional end elevation of part of the splicing mechanism of the machine; 1

Figure 6 is a plan view of part of this latter mechanism but showing the splicing thread trapped; v I

7 Figure 7 is an elevation of the trough and its associated parts;

Figure 8 is an elevation of a portion of the automatic stopping mechanism of the machine;

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of one of the members shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 illustrates in part sectional side elevation'a construction of pinion used in the machine;

Figure 11 .is a plan of the upper needle transfer lever and associated parts;

Figure 12 is a plan of the lower needle transfer lever and associated parts;

Figure 13 is a sectional elevation of the adjustable verge and its operating lever and cam;

Figure 14 is a detail elevation showing the means for adjusting the lower stitch cam;

Figure 15 is a detail elevation showing the means for adjusting the upper stitch cam;

Figure 16 is a view looking from the left hand of Figure 1, of the operating mechanism for the upper transfer lever;

Figure 17 is a similar view to Figure 16 of the operating mechanism for the lower transfer lever;

Figure 18 is a detail view showing the spring which controls the belt shifter;

In Figures 1 and 2 some of the parts are not correctly projected from one another and are shown displaced for the sake of elearness.

The machine comprises a frame 3 upon which are rigidly and immovably secured upper and lower cam box carriers 5 and 7 respectively interconnected by rods 9. Fast on the upper carrier '5 is the upper cam box 11 while the lower cam box 13 is immovably secured to the lower carrier 7. The upper and lower needle cylinders 15 and 17 rotate within the respective cam boxes being fast to needle cylinder toothed wheels 19, 21 housed in recesses in the carriers 5, 7, respectively and meshing with corresponding pinions on a shaft 23. A cover plate 25 for the needle cylinder pinion recess in the I carrier 5 has secured to it by the set screw 27 (Figure 13) the bearing block 29 for the toothed wheel 19. The block 29 is bored axially to afford a bearing for an axiall slidable rod 31 to the lower end of whici is secured by a pin 33 an adjustable verge 35 that though constrained to rotate with the needle cylinder '15 is adjustable axially of it to aitord an adjustable draw edge at the lower end of the needle cylinder 15. Springs 37 each of which is secured at one end to the corresponding one of two hooks 39 fast on the pinion 19 and at the other end to the corresponding one of two pins 41 projecting from the verge tend to raise upper end of the rod 31 where the latter projects out through the block 29. This thrust is applied by a screw 43 held by a lock nut 45 in adjusted position in the end of a lever 47 pivoted at 49 in a block 50 secured to the plate 25. The opposite end of the lever 47 rests on the upper end of a thrust rod 52 guided for axial movement in the carriers 5 and 7 and the lower end of which rests on an edge cam 54 (Figures 2 and 13) fast on the shaft 55.

Both the stitch cam of the lower cam box and that of the upper cam box are adjustable vertically in the boxes the former being thrust down and the latter up against the action of corresponding springs by'mechanisms now to be described. The former is thrust down by the downward pressure on it where it projects to the outside of the cam box 13 at 56 by a screw 58 adjustably secured by a lock nut 60 in one arm of a lever 62 pivoted at 64 to a block 66 secured to the carrier 7, the other arm of the lever 62 bearing on an edge cam 68 (Figures 2 and 14) also fast on the shaft 55. The upper stitch cam or rib stitch cam where it projects at 70 to the outside of the upper cam box 11 is secured to the lower end of a rod 72 (Fig. 15) guided for axial movement in the carrier. 5 and having at its upper end where it projects above the plate 25 an overhung portion 74 in which is adjustably secured by a lock nut 76 a screw 78 the end of which rests upon one arm of a lever 80 pivoted at 82 to a block 84 projecting from the carrier 5, the other arm of the lever 80 being pivotally connected at 85 to one end of a link 86 the other end of which is pivotally connected to an arm 88 fast on a shaft 90 pivoted in a bearing 92 (Figures 2 and 15) on the frame 3 and having secured to it a second arm 94 actuated by a cam 96 on the controlling cam drum 98 that is also fast on the shaft 55.

The edge cam 54 referred to'has secured to its face cam blocks 100 and 102 (Figs. 2,- 11 and 12) 'which respectively actuate the upper and lower needle transfer bolt cams. The cam 100 acts on an arm 104 (Figs. 11 and 16) fast on the lower end of a rock shaft 106 mounted in the carrier 7 and having secured to its upper end an arm 108 in which is adj ustably secured by a lock nut 110 a screw 112 the end of which bears against one arm of a lever 114 pivoted at 116 to a boss 118 secured to one of the rods 9. The other arm of the lever 114 (see Figs. 3 and 4) has formed in it two bosses.115, 117 that are each bored to receive a bolt cam operating plunger. Of these the plunger 120 in the boss which plunger is to operate the upper of the bolt cam pair of the upper cam box is urged forward in the bore by a spring 122 and the other plunger 124 in theboss which plunger is to operate the other atively to the in its bore is determined by the engagement of a flange 128 on the plunger with a shoulder 130 at the end of the bore while the 7 forward advance of the plunger 124 is adjustably limited by nuts 132 threaded on the stem 136 of the plunger. The cam 102 operates the bolt caln pair of the lower cam box through similar mechanism the cam acting on an arm 138 (Figures 12 and 17) fast on a shaft 140 having another, arm 142 secured to it in which is threaded a screw 144 that bears on one arm of a lever 146 carrying a plunger 148 corresponding in function and construction to the plunger 120 and a plunger 150 corresponding likewise to the plunger 124. The plungers 124 and 150 are adjusted in the lever in such a. retracted position relplungers 120 and 148 with which they are respectively associated that when either the lever 114 or the lever 146 is advanced the plunger. 120 or 148 as the case may be will fully advance the upper of the upper bolt cam pair or the lower of the lower pair-as the casemay be without the other plunger 124 or 150 carried by the lever coming into action on the corresponding bolt cam this occurring only on further advance of the lever with consequent yield, or further yield, of the spring 122 or of the correspondas the case may be. It will be understood that one of the levers 114 or 146 will only be fully advanced at a time so that when both bolt cams of one pair are thrust forward in operative position only one of the other pair (that is operated by the plunger 120 or 148 as the case may be) is in operative position.

The main yarn is fed to the needles through a yarn guide 162 in a bracket 164 secured to the upper cam box carrier 5 and provision is made for causing this yarn to take a splicing yarn 17 6 to the needles with it at'the apropriate times. This comprises a block 166 pivoted to the bracket 164 at 168 and having in its upper surface a groove 170 at the end of which is an-eye 172 (Fig. 6) through the block through which the splicing yarn 176 is led into the groove to be normally trapped there against the side of the groove by a trapper bolt 180 backed by a spring 182 confined between the bolt and a plate 184 secured to the block 166. Pivoted to the bracket 164 at 186 is a lever 188 connected by a link 190 to an arm 192 fast to a. short shaft 194 in a bearing 196 on the frame 3' (Fig. 2). I Fast on this shaft 194 is another arm 198 acted on by a cam 200 on the drum 98. This cam acts through the arms 198 and 192 and the link 190 to lift the lever 188 and the latter which underlies a stem 202 of the trapper bolt 180 (Fig. 6) lifts the latter and consequently the block 166 and presses the splicing Ill thread 176 up against the main yarn 160.

Continued rising of the end of the lever 188- brings under the end of the stem 202 a bevelled portion 204 of the end of the lever 188 which allows the weight of the block 166 to overcome the spring 182 so that the block 4 falls, the trapper bolt 180 being at the same time pressed back and releasing the slicing thread 176 so that the main yarn 160 can now take it-along to the needles. The bolt 180 is held in this position by its engagement with the side face of the lever 188. When the cam 200 by the rotation of the cam drum 98 passes away from under the arm 198 the lever 188 is lowered allowing the trapper bolt stem 202 to spring back over the lever 188 and causing the trapper bolt 180 to trap and snap the splicing thread 17 6.

The needle cylinders are rotated at one time and reciprocated at another time in the usual manner by appropriate driving and automatic clutch mechanism controlled by the controlling cam drum 98 and driven by the fast pulley 255 of a pair of fast and loose pulleys 255 and'260 respectively the starting and stopping of the machine being controlled by a belt shifting fork 262 fast on a rod 264 sliding axially in the frame. The driving mechanism acts on the needle cylinders through a bevel pinion fast on the lower needle cylinder the, movements of that cylinder being communicated to the other through the toothed wheel 21, the

- pinions carried by the shaft 23, and the toothed wheel 19. i

A spring 263 (Fig; 18) constantly urges the rod 264- and fork 262 in a direction to shift the belt to the loose pulley 260 and the fork is latched in position to hold the belt on the fast pulley 255 by the engagement of a lever 265, and which is pivoted at 266 to the machine frame 3, with a notch in the rod 264. The lever 265 has a cam face 288 with which cooperates a lug 290 on an arm 292 secured to a rock shaft 294 (Fig. 8) pivoted in the machine frame. A second arm 296 is secured to the rock shaft 294 and carries a bearing spindle 298 for a rotary member 300 (Fig. 9). This member has formed on it and spaced somej90 apart around its periphery three cam pieces 302, 304 and 306 of which the pieces 302 and 304 are side by side at different locations axially of the member and the piece 306 is wide enough to be in line with both. k The member300 may be rotatedmanually into any one of four positions on the spindle and then bevheld thereby the engagement of a blade spring 310 (secured by a screw 312 tothe arm 296) with any one of four notches 314 on a head 316 on the member 300. The portion of the member 300 carrying the cam pieces overlies the usual racking chain 320 of the machine so that links of the chain having marginal lugs 322 may cooperate with the cam piece 304 when that is set facing the chain and lift the arm 296, swing the arm 292, cam up the lever 265 and unlatch the belt shifting fork, or links of the chain 320 with central lugs 324 may cooperate with the cam piece 302 to produce the same result when that cam piece is set in operative position, or so that the stopping of the machine by any link with a lug 322 or 324 may be effected by the cam piece 306 upon that piece being set in operative position, it being understood that the fourth of the notches 314 corresponds to a settin of the member 300 so that none of the t ree cam pieces is operative and the machine goes on operating until the fork is released by the machine attendant lifting the lever 265 at such time as he may choose.

To enable back lash between the toothed wheels 19 and 21 and pinions'on the shaft 23 with .which (these respectively mesh to be taken up, the pinions on the shaft 23 are preferably each split, as shown in Figure 10, in a plane perpendicular to the axis of r0- tation into portions 337 and 338. The portion 337 has in it a pair of tapped holes 326, 328 on a diameter of the inlon to receive screws 330, 332 for securing the portions of the pinion together by the engagement of conical heads of the screws with conical bores 334, 336 inthe portion 338.

The bores 334 and 336 are on radii of the portion 338 that are slightly inclined to one another so that by screwing the respective screws 330 and 332 down to different extents the portions 338 and 337 may be clamped together -withtheir teeth slightly out of line and back lash between the unit made up of the parts 337, 338 and the pinion 19 or 21 thus taken up.

Hitherto in machines of the type referred to, the quality of the fabric produced is re-, stricted more or less by the ne'd to compromise between difi'ering conditions presented in knitting the rib and the plain fabric respectively. With the means usually employed for dealing with differences in the quality orlength of loop drawn, it has been found difficult to get the rib fabric and the plain fabric equally good and one has had to be sacrificed more or less to the other. This has arisen in a measure from the fact that only one source of adjustment has been provided, viz., by raising or lowering the sinkers which "serve as the draw edge for the bottom cylinder needles. This is over come in the machine described by providing as described two sources of adjustment, one being furnished by the provision described for adjustment of the lower cylinder needle cams and the other by the provision of the independently adjustable verge (or draw edge) associated with the rib needle cylinder for altering quite independently the quality of the rib fabric.

It is an advantage to be able to raise the verge during the knitting of heel or toe pouches when loops are held temporarily suspended from rib needles since by raising the verge any undue strain on the rib loops is removed.

Increase of the space between the drawedges of the upper and lower cylinders is a matter of importance and becomes a possibility since, instead of liftingthe draw edge of the sinkers as previously, the stitch cams are now lowered to compensate for the additional splicing yarn and forthe knitting of heel or toe pouches.

The described ,mode of effecting adjustment, for varying the length of loop according to the combined thickness of yarn and such like, enables an additional yarn for half round splicing or other purposes to be fed very close up to the main feeder which it will be understood is in a constant position relatively to the sinker or draw edge.

'Ihe automatic adjustment of the rib stitch cam of the upper-cylinder affords considerable facility for varying the character of the rib knitting during knitting.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Let-- ters Patent of the United Statesisz- 1. In a circular knitting machine of the type employing co-axial endto end needle cylinders and respectively associated cam' boxes of the type having means to cause at one time relative rotation and at another time relative reciprocation between the cylinders and boxes and means to transfer automatically needles from one cylinder to .the other, the provision in association with the upper needles cylinder of a verge that is separate from said. cylinder but adapted to rotate therewith, and means to adjust automatically the position of the verge transversely of the needle cylinder during the course of the knitting operation.

2. In a circular knitting machine of the type employing co-axial end to end needle cylinders and respectively associated cam boxes of the ,type having means to cause' at one time relative rotation and at anothertime relative reciprocation between the cylindersand boxes and means to transfer automatically needles from one cylinder to the other, the combination with the upper needle cylinder, of a verge separate from said cylinder but mounted so as to rotate therewith, springs tending to raise said verge, and means whereby the position .of the verge transversely of the said cylinder is adjusted automatically in opposition to the springs during the continuance of the knitting oper-' ation.

3: In a circular knittingmachine of the type employing co-axial end to end needle cylinders and respectively associated cam boxes of the type having means to cause at one time relative rotation and at another time relative reciprocation between the c linders and boxes and means to trans er automatically needles from one cylinder to the other, the combination of a verge that is separate from the upper needle cylinder but is rotatable therewith, means to adjust automatically the position of the verge transversely of the upper needle cylinder during the course of the knitting operation, and an adjustable stitch cam in the cam box associated with the lower needle cylinder.

4. In a circular knitting machine of the type employing'co-axial end to end needle cylinders and respectively associated cam needle cylinder.

5. Ina circular knitting machine of the type employing co-axial end to end needle e0 boxes of the type having means to cause at 1 cylinders and respectively associated cam I boxes of the type havingmeans to cause at one time relative rotation and at another time relative reciprocation between the cyl-' inders and boxes and means to transfer. au-.

tomatically needles from one cylinder to the other, the combination of a verge mounted within the upper needle cylinder so as to rotate therewith but be capable of movement transversely of said cylinder, springs tending to raise the verge, an axially slidable rod connected at one end to said verge, a rocker actuated by a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine and adapted to exert a thrust on the other end of said slidable rod to depress the verge against the action of said .springs, and an adjustable stitch cam in the cam box associated with the lower needle cylinder, which stitch cam is adjusted by a rocker controlled by a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at the city of Leicester, England, this twenty-fourth day of October, 1924:.

, PERCIVAL ARTHUR BENTLEY. 

